The Tribune

By RENALDO DORSETT

Sports Reporter

rdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE wind and rain did little to hamper the drive of dozens of young players during the YESI pro trials at St Paul's Church field which concluded the second edition of the "Happy Feet" soccer clinic.

"We have identified a few players that we will definitely invite to Houston to be a part of the Super 20 team," said Cor van Hoeven, technical director of the Dutch Lions FC (Dayton and Houston).

"I'm happy with what I saw today and I'm happy with the level of a lot of the players. The turnout was great, we had about 30 players. I was doubting how many would actually show up, especially with the weather. I was very happy with what I saw on the field. We had a lot of very talented players and perhaps the most important thing was that we have a lot of very young talented players," Hoeven said.

"The youngest ones maybe will not get an opportunity this year but, to identify them early, it makes it easier to guide their development. If we could give most of them group training sessions where they can concentrate on specific techniques, we can see an improvement. We just have to take a serious look at investing in these guys and I can definitely see more of them having an opportunity with the club."

Youth Empowerment through Soccer International (YESI) was founded by pro player and national team standout Happy Hall.

"When we got here prior to registration there were already 15 guys waiting and I think that was an example of how eager they were to take advantage of this opportunity," Hall said. "The quality is definitely here, I don't think we had this many guys at a high level when I was at this age."

The players ran through basic fundamental skill drills and several scrimmages to assess their in-game capabilities.

"This morning the rain was coming down hard but eventually it eased up. We got into playing and we were able to show what we could do," said 18-year-old Duane Beneby of the COB Caribs. "I don't think I reached my full potential but I do think I did enough to get noticed."

Seventeen-year-old Valder Murphy, who also plays with the Caribs, said the conditions played a factor. However, he was confident in his performance.

"The surface was really tough because of the rain all morning but, once we got down to playing, the game was the same as its always been. I think I could have done better but I think I did enough to show that I belong playing at the next level," he said.

"It was a step up for me because I'm not used to playing against older guys but to be the best you have to play against the best so I welcome the opportunity," said 14-year-old Dale Darville of SC McPherson. "It was a valuable experience and I think it made me better prepared for the next time."

The Super-20 League is the longest standing and most sophisticated under-20 men's and women's North American amateur league. It provides the platform for the top 17 to 20-year-olds in the US and Canada to compete at the elite level.

While serving as a reserve team system for many W-League, PDL and MLS, the USL Super-20 League features teams competing in the summer months.

Vying

Players were also vying for a position on the PDL League roster which features 73 teams within four conferences across the US and Canada.

The PDL season consists of 16 regular season matches and provides elite collegiate players the opportunity to taste a higher level of competition while maintaining college eligibility. The PDL has proven to be an important stepping stone for top professionals now playing throughout the world.